Sabina Of Oz
by T'Ley
Summary: A Monster High story. OC: original character (you have been warned). This is the backstory I came up with for my Monster High Create A Monster Witch girl doll. References material from the musical Wicked.


Rating: PG (just to be safe)

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, except when they are. The settings and locations are not mine, except when they are. The plots, conflicts, and resolutions ARE mine, except when they're not.

Reviews/Feedback: CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is always welcome. Any suggestions you may have on how to make my story better will be greatly appreciated.

I've been told that there was no moon the night I was born. Some might see this as a bad omen, a sign that I was so tainted that even the light had shunned me. I like to think that some higher power was watching over me and used the darkness to hide and protect me. My name is Sabina Osborne and I've spent most of my life in hiding, all because I was born with green skin like my mother's distant cousin Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West. I assume that my strange complexion must've been quite a shock for my parents at first. However they have always shared the mindset that one must accept whatever life brings, and even in my earliest memories they did not seem to love me any less because of my unusual skin color. My parents gave me all the care and affection that a child could wish for, though I know that their lives would've been much easier if they'd simply abandoned me.

When I was born my parents had to pay off the midwife to keep her quiet. Then they spread the story that I'd been born sickly and couldn't leave the house. At first I didn't understand why I wasn't allowed to play with other children, or even show my face at the window. My mother spent her days caring for me, and my father would dote on me when he came home every evening from his work, but still I was lonely. I would often ask them when I would be allowed to step outdoors, to pick garden flowers and feel the sun on my face and run and play like other children did. My father would then distract me by drawing me into his lap and telling me stories of another world, a world where there was no such thing as magic but where people used technology to make their lives easier. He told me of metal birds that could carry people from one place to another, and of machines that let you talk to people who lived far away, and of boxes that could show you pictures that moved. I think it was these stories that made me want to become a storyteller myself.

It wasn't until I grew older that my parents told me about Elphaba. They told me that people would be afraid if they saw me, and that they might even try to hurt me. But my parents couldn't hide me forever, especially once my special powers started to emerge. The neighbors quickly became suspicious of the 'strange things' that were happening in the vicinity of our house. The midwife, who'd remained silent all these years thanks to regular payments from my parents, became convinced that I was a danger to everyone and she told the townspeople what she knew. My parents and I were forced to flee our home, and in desperation we presented ourselves to Glinda, The Good Witch.

Though Glinda had grown old in the time since Elphaba's death, she was still highly respected by the people of Oz and it was said that she still possessed great powers. My parents made a heartfelt plea on my behalf. I was not like Elphaba, they said. I was a good person who meant no harm to anybody. Surely Glinda would not make me suffer for another person's mistakes. Surely there must be something that she could do to help me.

Glinda listened silently until they had finished. When she spoke, there seemed to be a sadness in her voice and in her eyes. She told us that she could do nothing to change the color of my skin. She also said that being a child of two worlds meant that my aptitude for magic was stronger than most, and that there was nothing she could do to change that either. My mother started to cry. She tried to speak through her tears, telling me how sorry she was for cursing me with her tainted bloodline. "No, Tilda," my father said, calling my mother by her first name. "If anyone's to blame it's me." Then my father told me that all the stories that he'd shared with me when I was a child were true, that he'd come from that other world. He said that he'd spent a long time trying to get back. But then he'd fallen in love with my mother, and any thoughts he'd had of going back to his own world had left him. "I was selfish," my father said. "I knew I didn't belong here, but I stayed anyway." My mother shook her head. "I knew you were an outsider, Hank Osborne," she said to my father. "But I loved you too much to let you go."

Glinda interrupted then, saying that there might be one thing that she could do for us. She said that she knew of a place where I would be safe, where I could walk freely without fear, but that it would mean leaving Oz and starting a new life elsewhere. My father turned to my mother again. Leaving would be difficult for all of us. But he knew, just as I did, that it would be especially hard for my mother. She'd been born in Oz, had grown up, married my father and raised me, her only child, within its borders. It was all she knew.

But my mother has always been strong in the face of adversity. She rested her hand on my father's arm and reassured him that my being safe and happy was more important to her than anything else. My father nodded and said, "I managed to settle in when I came here. I figure I can do it again." Then they both looked at me. "Whadaya think, Sweet Pea," my father asked, using the childhood nickname he'd given me. After what had happened with the townspeople turning against us and driving us out I was afraid, not just for my own life but for my parents' lives as well. Glinda's promise of a safe refuge gave me hope of a brighter future for me and my family, and I accepted her offer with gratitude.

Tomorrow I will begin attending classes at Monster High. My parents taught me to read and write and do basic calculations as soon as I was old enough to learn, but this is the first opportunity I've ever had for proper schooling. There is a part of me that is bubbling with excitement at the possibility of both improving my education and meeting others my own age. However another part of me is dreading the experience. I have never been anywhere without my parents by my side. Yet I know that high school is one place where they cannot accompany me. I will take with me everything that I've learned from them, but once I pass through the doors of Monster High I will have to rely on my own judgment when making decisions.

Also, despite Glinda's reassurances that the monster community will not fear me as the people of Oz did, my mind still swarms with questions. Will my schoolmates like me? I know so very little about 'monster' culture. What if I fail to make a good impression? Robecca says that she too felt divided when she first enrolled at Monster High. But she also said that the other students were very kind and welcoming towards her.

Robecca Steam is a mechanical girl who's been acting as my family's guide in this vast, new world. I've been told that the scientist who built her, whom she thinks of as her father, learned much in Oz. Robecca has been a great help to me and my family. For example when my parents decided that I should have a new dress for my first day of school, Robecca accompanied me to The Maul, a large indoor marketplace filled with shops of every kind. When we first entered I was in awe of the large space with its crowds of people and its enticing displays of things for sale. Oz is full of wonders, but due to my circumstances I'd seen very little of my homeland, aside from pictures in books. As I followed Robecca from shop to shop I'm sure I spent much of the time gawking, trying to take everything in.

Choosing a dress was challenging because the fabrics and clothing styles were so very different from what I was used to seeing in Oz. I finally picked a dress with pink eyelet trim at the hem. I've always had a fondness for eyelet lace, though I'd never seen it in such a vibrant color before.

While the trip was exciting, it was also somewhat overwhelming. Having lived most of my life in the same set of rooms I wasn't used to such a large, open space, or to being surrounded by so many people. And when we crossed paths with some of Robecca's school friends I found it difficult to speak to them. While they seemed friendly, they also used many words and phrases that I didn't understand. I discussed this with Robecca afterwards, and she told me that she'd also had some difficulty learning current monster 'slang'.

Because I feel as though I'm beginning a new chapter in my life I've decided to write my story in this journal. This will also be a place where I can preserve my memories of my homeland, since memories are all that I have left from that time. Despite my cloistered upbringing I still have many happy memories from my childhood in Oz. I remember the fresh flowers that my mother would bring into our home and arrange in water. I remember the series of small, potted plants that she gave me to care for when I wanted to help her in the garden. I also remember the sense of loss I felt when the first plant died and when the others grew too big for their pots and had to be replanted outside. I remember the loaves of fresh bread that my father would bring home, and the brightly colored picture books that not only helped me pass the time but also gave me a glimpse of the world outside my family's house.

While I am looking forward to making a fresh start I never want to forget where I came from. Having a place to record my recollections, thoughts and feelings means that, even if my memories start to fade, I can always turn back the pages to recall how I felt about this time in my life. And who knows? Perhaps someday when I'm grown I'll want to share my story with my own children. But for now I think I'll say goodnight. I want to be well rested for tomorrow.

Sabina Osborne signed her name at the bottom of the page before closing the journal. She'd already taken her milk bath, water gave her a rash, and had changed into a pair of pajamas. As she stood in front of the mirror, pulling back her long, black hair, she felt she was as ready as she could be for tomorrow, her first day at Monster High.

There was a knock on Sabina's bedroom door, and then she heard her mother's voice. "Sabina, is everything alright?" Tilda Osborne asked. For a moment, Sabina wondered how her mother knew she was still awake. Then she realized that Mrs. Osborne could probably see the lamplight coming through the crack under the bedroom door. There'd been many nights in Oz when Sabina had tried to stay up late reading, but the light seeping from under her door had always given her away.

"I'm alright, Momma," Sabina said. "I just wanted to write in my journal." The journal had been a gift from Glinda before they'd left Oz, and the mention of it temporarily silenced Mrs. Osborne. While she respected Glinda, Tilda Osborne couldn't help feeling a little uneasy when it came to The Good Witch and her magic. If Glinda thought that Sabina might someday follow the path that Elphaba had taken, then the journal might not be as innocent as it appeared. Perhaps Glinda had somehow enchanted the book, and was using it to keep a close watch on Sabina.

Mrs. Osborne tried to put those thoughts out of her head. It wouldn't do any good to worry Sabina. The poor girl was probably anxious enough as it was, given everything that had happened to them and the fact that Sabina would be starting school the next day.

"Do you have everything you need for tomorrow?" Mrs. Osborne asked her daughter after a moment.

"Yes, Momma," Sabina answered. She glanced over to where her bookbag sat packed and ready.

"Alright, Sabina, I'll see you in the morning," Mrs. Osborne said. She resisted the urge to go into the room and tuck her daughter into bed, reminding herself that Sabina was a teenager now and probably wouldn't appreciate the gesture. Sometimes Mrs. Osborne worried over the fact that her daughter was growing up. Tilda and Hank Osborne had had to walk a fine line when they were trying to raise Sabina back in Oz. On the one hand they'd wanted to protect and shelter their daughter from the outside world, a world filled with small minded people who would only see the color of Sabina's skin. But on some level they'd known that there'd come a time when Sabina would have to stand on her own two feet, and they'd tried to nurture in their daughter the inner strength she would need to do so.

Now that they were living in a world where Sabina would have a chance at a full life, it was time to let their little girl test her wings. Maybe she would fall, or maybe she would soar. Regardless of what the future held for Sabina, her parents would continue to support her. But Mrs. Osborne knew that if she wanted her daughter to grow up to be a mature, independent young woman, she would have to start letting Sabina go. With that bittersweet thought Mrs. Osborne turned away from her daughter's room and prepared to head back down the hall.

"Goodnight, Momma," Sabina called to her mother through the closed door.

"Goodnight, Sabina," Mrs. Osborne replied, "sweet dreams."

Author's Note: My Create A Monster Witch girl doll uses the wig from the Create A Monster Vampire & Sea Monster Starter Pack.


End file.
